Medical Model Flashcards
What does the medical model suggest?
All mental illnesses have a physical cause and treatment
Three explanations associated with medical model
- The Biochemical Explanation
- The Genetic Explanation
- Brain Abnormality as an Explanation
The Biochemical Explanation
- Neurotransmitters aren’t transmitting effectively
- ie. in schizophrenics have low levels of dopamine in their prefrontal cortex, indicating excessive amounts of the receptors making them more sensitive
- Depression due to low levels of monoamines that causes low mood and poor appetite
Monoamines
Noradrenalin, Serotonin, dopamine
The Genetic Explanation
Ask Ms Load
Brain Abnormality
- Individual brains differ in shapes, size, density and functions can be global or localised.
- Sz patients have enlarged vesicles leading to a reduction in grey matter, antipsychotics stop reduction
- Depressed patients have smaller frontal lobes with less blood flow treatments increase blood flow indicating links
Strengths of Biological Explanations
-Investigated scientifically ADD MORE
Weaknesses of Biological Explanations
-Reductionist approach
-Unethical
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GOTTESMAN- aim
-Investigate the importance of genetic influence on kids, where both parents have been admitted with a serious genetic disorder.
GOTTESMAN- sample
- Used secondary data from Danish database
- 3.3 million in total
GOTTESMAN- procedure
-Used data to find links between children and mentally ill parents.
GOTTESMAN- results
–Parents with disorder led to 67.5% chance of also getting one, parents without only 11.9%
Strengths of Gottesman
- Large sample
- No researcher bias as data from database
Weaknesses of Gottesman
- Only Quantitative data
- Reductionist
Application of biological treatments
Selective Serotonin Re uptake Inhibitors- prevent serotonin being reabsorbed so more received at post synaptic neurone. Encourages normal function
